Replacement Bognor Regis Golf Course would be ‘recreational and cultural asset’

If it goes ahead, the course would replace Bognor Regis Golf Club in Felpham, which would then house up to 480 homes.

The application before Arun District Council is for the laying out of an 18 hole 72 par golf course, a nine hole golf course, practice greens and a driving range, including a buggy compound.

There would be the formation of a new access onto the A259; construction of a club house with associated golf club facilities; the construction of a maintenance building and external area of hardstanding; parking, new roads and paths; new landscape planting; surface water drainage basins and water storage reservoirs; and other earth works and infrastructure.

The 73.7ha site is on land south of Grevatts Lane at Climping.

Have you seen: Public meeting to discuss plan for 480 homes on Bognor Regis Golf Club

It comprises three field parcels of arable agricultural land with woodland, hedgerows and trees and the Ryebank Rife separating the north and south fields. Bridges would be built across the rife.

To the north its boundary is the A259, to the west and east agricultural land and south the eastern edge of Elmer.

Access would be in the location of the existing field access with a new priority junction arrangement including widening the road to accommodate a ‘ghost island’ right turn lane.

The plans include a 222 space car park, including four disabled bays, and an overflow for 42 cars.

Seven spaces would be allocated outside the clubhouse and 12 for staff at the maintenance facility. There would be three cycle stands.

A design and access statement with the application said: “Bognor Regis Golf Club and Hallam Land Management are committed to the delivery of a sustainable development which is socially inclusive, environmentally diverse and adds to the economic prosperity of Arun.

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“Our vision for the site is to create a development that delivers a sporting, recreational and cultural asset for the region, with a sustainable, enduring future, recognising the heritage of Bognor Regis Golf Club while providing a facility fit for purpose for this century.

“HLM and Bognor Regis Golf Club are committed to delivering a sustainable development that responds to current conditions and anticipates future conditions, with the overall aim of providing a high quality environment for sporting, recreational and cultural use.

“The master plan has been landscape led in order to sensitively integrate the development within the environment in which it will sit.

“The green infrastructure will retain as much of the existing features of the site as possible, while still allowing a logical and operationally sound facility.”

The course will ‘significantly enhance biodiversity, habitat creation and the overall landscape quality of the land’, the statement said.

The project includes GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf, an international not-for-profit organisation founded to inspire, support and reward credible sustainability action and to strengthen and promote golf’s social and environmental value.

Hallam Land Management said the plans for the existing and new golf course were interdependent.

Leaflets on the plans had gone out to 1,500 residents and businesses and meetings had been held with Felpham and Middleton-on-Sea parish councils.

One comment on the application said: “Fantastic, far better than more and more houses that nobody wants.”

Others objected with one saying: “This is madness!”

“This development is not needed in Felpham as it already has a golf course,” they said.

“This will bring extra congestion to the A259 which already has a dangerous junction at Comet Corner and nobody wants another.”

To view the plans go to the Arun District Council planning portal and use the search reference M/16/22/PL.

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